Amid premiumisation and 5G momentum, global smartphone shipments rose 2% in 2025, with Apple leading growth, even as memory shortages cloud 2026 prospects.
Global smartphone shipments rose 2% year-on-year (YoY) in 2025, marking the second straight year of growth, as consumers increasingly opted for premium devices and 5G adoption accelerated in emerging markets. The findings are based on preliminary estimates from Counterpoint Research.
Apple led the global market with a 20% shipment share and recorded 10% YoY growth, the fastest among the top five brands. Samsung followed closely with a 19% share and 5% growth. Despite the recovery, analysts warned that the outlook for 2026 remains cautious due to rising memory shortages and component prices.
According to Counterpoint, market momentum was sustained through most of 2025. Premiumisation played a central role, supported by financing schemes and aggressive marketing. Demand also improved across developing regions as 5G handsets became more accessible. However, growth varied widely by geography.
“In 2025, the smartphone market continued its gradual shift toward higher price tiers,” said Shilpi Jain, senior analyst at Counterpoint. She added that strong demand in Japan, the Middle East and Africa, and parts of Asia-Pacific helped offset weakness in mature markets.
Jain noted that tariff concerns led manufacturers to front-load shipments in the first half, though their impact eased later in the year.
The December quarter (Q4) closed with modest 1% YoY growth, constrained by inventory buildup earlier. Apple accounted for around 25% of global shipments in Q4, its highest-ever quarterly share. Samsung ranked second with 19%.
Commenting on Apple’s annual performance, senior analyst Varun Mishra said growth was driven by stronger traction in emerging and mid-sized markets. “The iPhone 17 series gained significant traction in Q4, while the iPhone 16 continued to perform exceptionally well in Japan, India and Southeast Asia,” he said.
He also pointed to a replacement cycle as COVID-era devices reached upgrade age.
Samsung’s growth was supported by steady demand for the Galaxy A series and improved performance of its Galaxy S25 and Fold7 models. Momentum in Japan helped counter pressure in Western Europe and Latin America.
Xiaomi held third place with a 13% share, supported by premium models and strong execution in Latin America and MEA. Vivo ranked fourth with 3% growth, while OPPO shipments fell 4% amid intense competition in China and the Asia-Pacific region. A combined OPPO–realme entity would hold an 11% share.
Outside the top five, Nothing and Google recorded growth of 31% and 25%, respectively.
Looking ahead, Research Director Tarun Pathak said the market is likely to soften in 2026. “DRAM and NAND shortages and rising component costs are already triggering price hikes,” he said, adding that shipment forecasts for 2026 have been cut by 3%. Apple and Samsung are expected to remain more resilient than lower-priced Chinese brands.
